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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23164945">break my bones</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/glorydivine/pseuds/glorydivine'>glorydivine</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Arcana (Visual Novel)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>BDSM, Background Poly, Light Angst, Named Apprentice (The Arcana), Other</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 12:47:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,487</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23164945</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/glorydivine/pseuds/glorydivine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Julian tries again, “I didn’t mean to wake you. I’m sorry. I need to… talk to Asra.”</p><p>“He isn’t here.”</p><p>Julian’s head snaps up, and Valentino suppresses the want to flinch.  He looks more desperate than they’ve seen him in a while. He trips over the boot he has off, stumbling three big steps towards them with the other one sagging around his leg. He moves to grab Valentino’s shoulders, already stuttering out half sentences. </p><p>“He’s— he’s not— where is he? Why isn’t he—” The tears that were welling in Julian’s eyes before have spilled now.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Apprentice/Julian Devorak, Minor or Background Relationship(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>break my bones</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>little idea that wouldn't leave me be</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A loud bang awakens Valentino.  Their eyes snap open, but they don’t jump up. They fall completely still in their bed. It had been storming when they had lain down earlier in the night. There is still the pitter-patter of sprinkles against their roof. They tilt their head to watch the streams racing down the window as lightning flashes. It must’ve been the storm itself, though it seems strange that the heavy rain would make a sound like that.</p><p>Valentino curls onto their side, staring out into the overcast. A part of them wishes Asra were home, cuddled behind them as a reassuring warmth. Valentino ponders reaching out to him when they fall back asleep. It should be easy to picture Asra’s ponds with the drip-drop of water echoing in their ears.</p><p>Before they settle and drop off into another sleep cycle there is another noise. A series of noises actually. It’s several clacks followed by a solid thump. Valentino rolls off the mattress, landing in a crouch. They recognize that sound from the times Asra has done it before. It’s the sound of the old, sturdy locks on the back door being opened. Valentino assumes they would sound the same whether opened with a key or a set of lock picks. They grab a robe to throw around themselves before slipping out into the hallway. They keep their steps silent as they make their way down and through the front of the store.</p><p>Another sound, this time like the slap of wet cloth against wood comes from the back. Valentino peeks through the curtains, they’re sheer but not enough to see through. They can make out a tall, slim figure swaying back and forth. Valentino isn’t sure whether they should risk the chance of being caught by whoever broke into the shop, but they’ve got to do something. There is the crash of the rickety table by the chaise crashing to the floor, and Valentino decides. They take a long wine bottle off the shelf next to them, slipping through the curtains and into the room. The figure is facing away from them. They seem to be... locking the door back? Valentino hesitates. </p><p>They lower into a crouch to stay hidden, and watch.</p><p>For a moment Valentino thinks it’s Asra, but this person is much too tall when they stand straight. They are stick-thin like Asra, but they move as water instead of air. They wobble as they lift one foot in the air, and begin to undo the laces of their boot. A bright flash of lightning brightens the room. It reflects against a shock of red hair, and Valentino recognises the slope of his nose and the curve of his frown.</p><p>Julian Devorak has broken into the shop. Again.</p><p>Except there’s something different about it. He’s not quite as usual. His motions are all crash and no flow as he sidles across the room to the candles on the low table that Asra uses for his tarot spreads. He hadn’t even gotten his boots off. One of them hangs open unlaced down the side, but not fully removed.  Fine tremors have set in from the cold rains, and Julian struggles to light the match. He nearly burns himself with how long it takes him to get each candle lit, but he manages. He turns around once there is some light filling the room, and his gaze drifts. It lands on Valentino where they are standing, now, next to the entrance to the front of the shop. </p><p>“Uh,” he starts, and Valentino can see panic shining in his eyes. It glints almost silver with the water welling there as he glances over their shoulder. Valentino takes a step forward, and Julian’s eye widens. He looks to be debating something with himself as they offer him a hand. He takes it, and tries again, “I didn’t mean to wake you. I’m sorry. I need to… talk to Asra.”</p><p>The time he takes to decide on the word talk makes Valentino narrow their eyes at him. His eyes are reddened around the rims like he’s been crying, but they are mostly the sunken purple of sleepless nights. His eyes won’t settle on one spot, as if they can’t focus long enough on anything in his surroundings. He zones out a bit, waiting while Valentino stares at him. His patience wears fast. He picks at the edges of his wet clothes, finding strings and stretching them. He clips and releases the catch on his belt before switching to his boots. He pulls the strings as he bends back and forth. After a moment of wavering he decides to take them off. He doesn’t sit to do it, choosing to hop like an excitable bird as he tugs and kicks. Valentino observes, and then remembers his question.</p><p>“He isn’t here.”</p><p>Julian’s head snaps up, and Valentino suppresses the want to flinch.  He looks more desperate than they’ve seen him in a while. He trips over the boot he has off, stumbling three big steps towards them with the other one sagging around his leg. He moves to grab Valentino’s shoulders, already stuttering out half sentences. </p><p>“He’s— he’s not— where is he? Why isn’t he—” The tears that were welling in Julian’s eyes before have spilled now. Only a few, but they trail down his cheek to leave thick, glistening tracks. Valentino tries to get his attention, but he’s sunk into some space they almost can’t touch. They grab his hands, prying his fingers out of their shirt. They trap them in one hand against his chest, using the other to lift his eye patch up.</p><p>“Julian?”</p><p>“He’s— he’s not here. I— I— I need— and he’s not—”</p><p>“Julian. Look at me.” His eyes still won’t focus, and Valentino glares up at him.</p><p>“Why would he leave me? What am I— Of course, he would—”</p><p>“Ilyushka. Look at me.”Valentino affects the smooth, soft tone that Asra always does, and it works wonders. Julian blinks like he’s been struck, carefully finding their gaze and holding it. “Thank you. Take a deep breath for me.”</p><p>Valentino tightens their grip on Julian’s hand as he tries to pull back, and he relaxes even more. He sucks in a few harsh breaths to get his lungs to cooperate then takes a deeper breath. His shoulders relax down a little more, and Valentino smiles at him. He hiccups, more tears tracking down his face as he squints down at them. He has the gall to blush at their proximity. He tries to move back again, and Valentino tsks at him because it causes his shoulders to hitch up to his ears again. Valentino moves their hand from his cheek to the back of his neck. They stand on their toes to lean their forehead to his. Julian startles,but can’t help pressing into the contact. His bangs are damp and stringy between their skin, but his skin is warm behind it.</p><p>Once Julian has calmed somewhat Valentino lets their smile widen a bit, “He did not leave you, just as he didn’t leave me. He’s already on his way back, I can tell.”</p><p>“You… you’re right. I should, go. I should…” Julian still has that lost look about him. As if the door behind him was suddenly a wall. It’s odd to see on him. Valentino doesn’t think he could pull himself together if he tried.</p><p>“Can I help?”</p><p>“Can you…?” His brows furrow like this wasn’t even in his realm of thinking. </p><p>“What do you need? Can I help in his stead?”</p><p>Valentino isn’t quite sure what they’re offering, but they care for Julian.They want to be able to help him when he needs it, whether that means Asra is gone or he needs a break. If Valentino can’t come through for him when he is so clearly distressed then what can they do?</p><p>They know that Asra and Julian have a very specific relationship. It used to be terrible, they used to be terrible. Valentino refused to put up with anything approaching a lack of communication. And once Valentino enforced that, both of them opened up a little easier, especially to each other. They’ve worked hard to build their relationship into something workable. With Valentino acting as a balance for them, they came together beautifully. It’s complicated and complex as all things are when it comes to humans and thoughts and love, but Valentino knows them intimately.</p><p>What they don’t know is why Julian is so desperate, what he needs so gravely, what made him let it go on this long. They do know they will help if they are able. Julian hums, low in his chest and it catches Valentino’s attention, though their eyes flick back to his face when he speaks.</p><p>“Need. I— you— you need—” he wets his lips, catching his bottom lip between his teeth, “Hurt me?”</p>
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